Benton, Fair Park seek turnover-free performances

Benton kicker Jordan White kicked three field goals in the Tigers’ 9-0 win over Woodlawn last week. Benton will meet Fair Park on Thursday in a key District 1-4A matchup.(Photo: Douglas Collier/The Times)Buy Photo

Talking about fumbles and interceptions can sometimes backfire on a coaching staff when players start committing them because of overemphasis. But the same thing can happen if a coaching staff doesn’t spend time making sure ball security is a priority.

The Benton staff found that out the hard way last fall when the Tigers committed 11 turnovers in a two-game stretch against Fair Park and Woodlawn. Benton had a chance to win both games before their gifts left them 0-2 in District 1-4A play.

“I’m a firm believer of if you focus on things in practice that they show up in the game,” Benton coach Reynolds Moore said. “I don’t remember exactly, but I don’t believe we had done a ball-security drill in a week or two. We talked about it, but our actions in practice didn’t relay it to the kids.”

The Tigers (4-1, 2-0 District 1-4A), who host Fair Park at 7 p.m. Thursday, turned the ball over five times against the Knights in 2013, losing 18-13, then gave up five fumbles and an interception against the Indians the following week en route to a 38-19 loss.

“Some of our kids remember. And it’s a game we felt like we could’ve won but they took over and beat us,” Moore said. “We came back after that and did a turnover drill or two every single day for the rest of the year – and didn’t fumble the rest of the year.”

The Tigers also won three of their last four games. Jordan White’s three field goals last week covering 21, 22 and 28 yards allowed Benton to remain undefeated in the district.

Mike Greene’s Indians (4-1, 1-1) didn’t suffer from the turnover bug, but the team did fall apart last season after winning six straight to open the campaign. A loss to Northwood set off a spiral that went 0-4 to end the regular season. The Indians lost for the first time in 2014 last week at Minden 28-20, although quarterback Se’Derrick Smith ran for one score and passed for two more.

“This game is important to us because last year, when we lost one, mentally it got to the guys,” Greene said. “We started pressing, and things snowballed on us. We were playing harder, but we weren’t relaxing. We’ve told them this week to stay away from getting uptight.”

Greene is also stressing the importance of playing turnover free.

“Every game from here on out will be a heckuva game in our district,” he said. “A turnover here and there could turn the tide.”

Benton committed five turnovers last week against Woodlawn, but sloppy field conditions had a lot to do with that. There were also some new players in key positions.

“We made way more mistakes, but our defense held up,” Moore said. “You can’t beat a Mike Greene-coached team turning the ball over like that.”